Victorian Novelists: Dickens, Thackeray, and Trollope
The Rise of the Novel in the Victorian Era
Victorian writers often reflected the values of their society, emphasizing family, domesticity, and religion. Their literature served as a form of propaganda, showcasing economic progress while highlighting stark class differences. They drew characters and stories from everyday life, aiming to portray the realities and conditions of England.
Individualism was highly valued, with linear narratives often featuring characters who succeeded by embodying Victorian ideals. Autobiography was a popular genre, and many works incorporated semi-autobiographical elements.
Early Victorian writers differed from their later counterparts, who expressed a growing pessimism towards societal vices. Common literary techniques included a third-person narrator, serial publication, and a polyrhythmic tone blending past, present, and future.
Charles Dickens: A Voice of Victorian Society
Charles Dickens was the most popular novelist of his time, creating characters who epitomized Victorian society. His prose was realistic and descriptive, vividly portraying the lives and struggles of the English people. Influenced by 18th-century novelists like Defoe, Smollett, and Goldsmith, Dickens mastered the serial form and incorporated semi-autobiographical elements, lending a strong sense of realism to his novels. He also wrote historical fiction, such as A Tale of Two Cities.
Dickens’s works often explored:
- The plight of the poor in Britain
- The impact of the Industrial Revolution
- The corruption of political authorities
He frequently presented binary oppositions, such as north/south and rich/poor, and his novels realistically depicted the relationship between characters and their environments.
William M. Thackeray: A Critical Eye
William M. Thackeray was known for his experimental and critical approach to fiction. His works had a strong propagandistic element, and he often portrayed his characters as mere puppets. His most famous novel, Vanity Fair, offers a sharp critique of Victorian society, exposing the vices and virtues of a community constrained by social norms.
Vanity Fair was immensely popular, and its title aptly describes the superficiality of High Victorian society. Thackeray primarily focused on the upper and upper-middle classes.
Anthony Trollope: An Observer of Human Ambition
Anthony Trollope was a keen observer of human ambition and a skilled chronicler of Victorian political life. His novels often depicted politicians as lacking virtue, and his prose was both realistic and critical. He wrote his own Autobiography. Trollope embodied Victorian moralism, emphasizing the transformative power of moral values. This conviction fueled his criticism of contemporary politicians. His most renowned novel, The Warden, explores the dynamics of a small community and its intricate familial relationships.